Indian Navy is in the process of evaluating fixed-winged solution for its carrier based AEW and in the – comparatively – near future might graduate to such a capability from the recent acquired highly capable chopper mounted AEW, in the form of Russian Ka-31AEW.
The fixed-winged based AEW solution cud come in the form of the American E-2C Hawkeye 2000, which the Indian Navy is evaluating to see if it cud take-off from the angled deck w/o the aid of catapult. So maybe this cud form the AEW provider for the Indian Navy, if everything goes right.
But, it wud be the Russian counterpart – which still has to get a life – that wud be the best solution for the Indian Navy (& Indian Coast Gaurd & Indian Army) requirements for such a system. And if developed to its fullest, it can very much meet the needs of the threee services.
Some of the things that need to be done –
– collaborate with HAL/NAL to make the Yak-44 lighter with all the experience gained on using composites
– make the radar stand-out , which in its earlier avataar was also good.
BTW, unlike the Hawkeye-2000, Yak-44 might not need to worry (?) abt the engine power for an unassisted take-off, as each of those contra-props gives out in the range of 14,000 hp compared to 5,100 hp each for the Hawkeyes engines.
and the specs for the a/c & system
(Source: “Russian military aviation” by Piotr Butowski).
There was some news abt Yakovlev restarting the project, though not heard much again abt that, anyone got news abt the same??
Also, expecting Ken, PiBu, Paul and others to contribute regarding the a/c & system
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February 27, 2005 at 7:24 pm